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(NOModel.)

. F. CHICKERING.

PIANO HORTE. N0. 247;887. Pate1ited 0013. 4,1881.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES F. OHIOKERING, OB NEIN YORK, N. Y.

PlANO-FORTE.

SPEGIFIGA'IION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 247,887, dated October 4, 1881. Application filed June 211 1881. (N model.)

T0 all whom z't mccy concern:

Be it kn0wn that I, CHARLES F. CHIOKER- ING, of the eity 0f New York, in the connty am]. State of New Yorkhave invented eertain new and useful Improvements in Piano-Fortes, of which the following is a speeifieation.

The objeet 0f these improvements is t0 increase the loudness and enhance the quality of the tones prodnced b v a piano-forte.

T0 this end th e improvements consist in the combination, with the skeleton er mein frame 0f a piano-forte, ofa sounding-board supported upon said mein frame at isolated er distant points a-10ng its edges and an iron plate er frame supported upon said Skeleton er mein frame independentl3* 0f said sounding-board, whereby the seid sounding-board is afiorded opportunity for free vibration, and its eft'ectiveness is materially enhanced. The seid iron plate 0r fran1e is preferably sustained by supports passing freely through openings in said sounding-board and ereeted upon the skeleton er nmin frame.

(Ehe improvements also consist in the combination, with the skeleton 0r main frzuneof a piano-forte and a sounding board supported only at isolated 0r distant -points along the edges, of a case provided with a groove opposite the edges 0f the sounding-board, so as to be 0nt 0f eontaet therewith.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view 0f the skeleton or main frame, the sounding-board, and t-he iron plate er frame 0f a piano-fo'rte, ineluding certain appnrtenances and a vertic al seetion 0f part of the ea-se. Fig. 2 is a similar view 0f the opposite side 0f seid parts, including a like section 0f a portion of the case. Fig. 3 is a vertieal longitudinal section through the said parts. Fig. 4: is avertiaal transverse seetion of the said parts; and Fig. 5 is a sectionl side view of a portion of the skeleton er main frame, the soundingboard, and the iron plate 0r fmmeon a larger sea-le.

Similar letters of referenee designate 001responding parts in all the figures.

A designates the skeleton 0r mein frarne 0f a piano-forte. lt may be made in the usual or any other suitable manner.

A designates what I term the belly-rail 0f said skeleton er main frame.

C designates thesounding-board, which n1ay be made after any approved method, bat has a rib a, 011 the under side, around the edges, for strengthening it. It is shown as also having a eorresponding rib, b, on the upper side, und f0r the same purpose. 'lhis sounding-board, insteadof having a e0n tinuous support around its edges, is supported onlyat isola ted 0r distant points around the edges by bloeks er analogous devices c, ereeted upon the skeleton er main frarne A; heneeitis free to vibrate freely throughout its extent.

.D designates the ir0n plate er frame. This may be of any desirable style. Itis sustained bysupports passingloosely throngh the soundin g-board O. In this example'of 1ny invention these, supports consist of tnbes d, passing through holes 0f mueh larger diameter in the sonnding-board and snstaining the iron plate Or I'rame, screws e, passing down through the iron plate er frame and tubes and entering the skeleton-frmne, being employed to seeure ehe parts together. These tubes d and serews e are here shown as passing through the bloeks 0r devices c, whereby the sounding board is supported, and I provide washers f, fitting arourid the said serews e, and fitting snuglyiu the bloeks 0 for retaining these serews, the tubes d, the sounding-board, and the iron plate er frame in their proper relative positions.

The iron plate er frame, near the freut end, is provided with a downwardly-extending rib, D, whieh bears against the front 0f the be1lyrail A of the skeleton 0r main frarne A, butis out of contaet With the sounding-board. The iron plate or frameis also provided with a projection, D extending ont0 alle pin-bloek E. Ehe flange Dand projeetion D resist the tendeney of the springs aeting 0n the agrafi'es to pull up the ir0n plate 0r frame, und this withont interfering with the free vibration 0f the soundingboard.

F designates the case 0f the piano-forte. In Order that it shall not interfere With the free Vibration of the sounding board, it is out 0f eontact therewith. 'Ihis result is, in this instanee, aeeomplished by forming in its inner side a groove 0r rabbet opposite the edges of the sonndingboard.

lt will be seen that by my invention I provide for a free vibration ot' the sounding-board without hinderance fr0m the skeleton 0r mein frame, theiron platze 0r frame, 0r the case, and

hence that; I materially incr'ease the loudness and enhance the quality of the tones froma piano-forte.

' I am aware that Lhe sounding boards of piano-fortes have been supported continuously along their edges upon the ske letons or main frames; and I am also aware that soundingboards have beeu supported at isolated points only on the metal fmmes 0x plates.

I am also uware that the meta1 frames 01 plates have been supported ab intervals 011 the skeletons 01 main fran1es, independentl y 0f the sounding boards having an approximatelycontinuous Support along their edges.

What I claim as my invenion, and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent, is

1. 'lhe combination, with the skeleton 0r maiu frame of a piano -forte of a soundingboard supported upon said skeleton 01' main frame ab isblated 0r distant points along its its edges, und an iron plate 01 frame supported upon said skeleton 01 maiu frame independentlyof said sounding-board, whereby the said sounding-board is afforded opportunity f0r free vibration and its efiectiveness is materially enhanced, substantially as speeified.

2. The combination, with the Skeleton 017 main frame of a piano-forte, of a sounding board supported upon said skeleton 01 main fran1e ab isolated or distant points along its edges and an iron plate 01' frame sustained by supports passing freely through openings in said sounding board and erected upon said skeleton or main frame, whereby tbe said sounding-board is afforded opportunity for free vibration and its efiectiveness is materially enhanced, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, wit;h t-he skeleton 01 main frame of a piano-forte and a soundingboard supported ouly ab isolated 01 dista-nt points along the edges, 0t' acase provided with a groove opposibe the edges of 1she sounding bomd, so as t0 be out; ofcontact therewith, substantially as specified.

CHARLES F. CHIOKERING.

Witnesses:

HENRY A. BROWN, E. G. GOTTSGHALK. 

